The Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2019 (H.R. 1108)

The effects from the recent federal shutdown are still being felt throughout the entire aviation industry and the impending threat of another round is fast approaching. During the longest shutdown in U.S. history, essential government workers, including air traffic controllers and TSA agents, were required to work without pay. Nearly 18,000 FAA workers involved in a range of activities–from airmen certification to safety inspections to NextGen deployment–were furloughed. Countless aviation businesses and travelers faced serious challenges and uncertainty.

NATA, along with a coalition of 40 other leading aviation stakeholder groups, signed onto a letter to Congressional leadership in support of the Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2019 (H.R. 1108). This legislation, introduced by Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Rick Larsen (D-WA), would authorize the FAA to draw from the balance of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund in the event of a government shutdown, ensuring the continuity of vital agency safety and operational functions. We need your help in safeguarding the jobs, economic growth, businesses and overall health of our industry that are at stake when the government is shuttered.

The House of Representatives will soon vote on this bill and we strongly urge the general aviation community to act now. Contact your Representatives through the NATA Legislative Action Center and ask them to support the Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2019 (H.R. 1108).